Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

A simple chocolate cookie crust is filled with a rich peanut butter mousse. The mousse is a blend of cream cheese, crunchy peanut butter, sugar and vanilla, mixed until smooth then lightened with whipped cream. It is covered with a thick layer of ganache and garnished with a halo of chopped chocolate and golden peanuts. Pure heaven.

MAKE THE CHOCOLATE CRUST: Preheat the oven to 375°. Melt butter and stir into the cookie crumbs. Press the cookie crumbs over the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan and 1 1/2 inches up the side. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, or until set; the crust will continue to firm up as it cools.

MEANWHILE, MAKE THE PEANUT BUTTER FILLING: In a large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the cream cheese with the peanut butter, sugar and vanilla extract until blended. In another large bowl, using the same beaters, whip the chilled cream until firm. Fold one-third of the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture to loosen it, then fold in the remaining whipped cream. Spoon the filling into the crust, smoothing the surface. Sprinkle lightly with salt and refrigerate until set, about 3 hours.

MAKE THE CHOCOLATE TOPPING: Place chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat cream over medium heat until simmering. Add cream to chocolate and stir until melted.

Spread the chocolate topping over the peanut butter filling and refrigerate until just firm, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle the chopped peanuts and chocolate around the edge of the pie. Carefully run a thin knife around the pie crust to loosen it, then remove the springform ring. Using a sharp knife, cut the pie into wedges. Run the knife under hot water and dry it between each cut.

Jessie

Jess

November 27, 2013

This has become my thanksgiving dessert go to! My family loves it and there was not a crumb remaining! I have always had a difficult time finding chocolate wafers and have used the chocolate graham crackers! It is fantastic!

Trixia

stephanie

March 14, 2014

After searching all over the internet for a pie to bring to work for “Pi day,” I chose this one. Turned out perfect! I appreciate that this recipe is much simpler than many of the others out there and does not involve raw eggs. I made it in a regular store-bought pie crust so it would look more like a pie as opposed to a cheesecake. Also, instead of sprinkling chocolate/nuts on top I formed “3.14” and the Pi symbol in rainbow-colored nonpareils – a little tacky perhaps, but it fit with the theme of the day. Thanks so much for posting this!